Allen's Brick House

Around the last of June we took a little day trip to a 17th century plantation home that has been restored beautifully.   Surry County Va. where the oldest brick home in the U.S is located.   Built in 1665 by Arthur Allen and known as "Allen's Brick House" with Jacobean architecture.  It was occupied a little while in 1676 as there was a planters revolt, by Nathaniel  Bacon's  rebels, thus the name - Bacons Fort or "Castle"..  Bacon never lived here and nowhere recorded that he ever visited here either.
Preservation of Virginia acquired Bacons castle in the 1970's at auction.



The only surviving Jacobean structure.

Not sure of when the addition on right was constructed.

Triple stacked chimneys

17th century English garden beautifully restored.  I thought I had snapped a long shot of the wall that the plantings are in front of but obviously not, dern.
Some plantings

Beans and a plant that looks to be red perilla.  I am thinking that is what it is.  I have it in my yard and has frilly leaves.  Mint family it belongs but doesn't taste a thing like mint, well to me anyway.  Tasty and I have used it in salads and sauces.  Lot of people mistake it for purple basil and some call it coleus.  Very pretty plant.

 While I am thinking about it, here is a picture of some Perilla growing in my yard.  I dry some leaves and use it in my sauces.  I like it in my spaghetti sauce. I have always eaten it. Perilla an herb. The leaf and seed are used to make medicine.

Web MD - says it's used for treating asthma, nausea, sunstroke, reduce muscle swelling etc..

Back to the  garden at the Castle

This soil has sand in it like mine does where I live, not quite this much.

Tobacco.  My Mom lived in Chase City Va. and she talked about picking off the Tobacco worms on the plants and how they would hang the leaves up in the barn to dry.  She also told me that she used to sneak out, roll a leaf and smoke one.  No, she didn't take up the habit of smoking either.

In the distance Steve taking a walk

Gotta have grape vines

Inside we go for a tour - I noticed right away I have the same door knocker.  Named Doctors door knocker. .  Georgian design. Used to identify the front doors of doctors.  Ours was on the door when we purchased our house.  I like it and will not change it.

More tomorrow of the inside.

Oh yeah,  it's haunted.  Aren't they all?  I have never been one to really believe in ghosts like some do.  I have yet to hear or see one and have been in a lot of these old structures.
Fun to read about though.